ENG vs IND, 2018: Best India ODI XI from all England tours

The Indian cricket team has been a force to reckon with in ODI cricket in recent times. The team has won many laurels and gives a tough competition to any team in this format. The team won the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2011 and was in the top-4 in 2015. Also, they won the Champions Trophy in 2013 and were the finalists in 2017. Having a well-rounded, balanced side has enabled India to achieve these results. However, England is one place where the team hasn’t found great success in this format. They have struggled in the difficult English conditions in ODIs. There aren’t many success stories in the country except for a few like the Natwest Trophy in 2002, the series win in 2014. On that note, here is the Best India ODI XI that has the capability to give some tough competition to England in England. 1. Sachin Tendulkar Sachin Tendulkar & Suresh Raina. (Photo Source: Getty Images) Sachin Tendulkar is one of the finest players to have ever played this game. The ‘Master Blaster’ has scored 18,426 runs in ODI cricket, the highest by any player. He maintained an average of about 45 in the 463 international games that he played. Sachin maintained somewhat similar consistency playing in England as well. He is the second-highest scorer for India in England. Sachin scored 639 runs in 17 games at an average close to 40 in England. He scored at a strike rate of 85 over there and also hit a century. Sachin last played an ODI in England in 2007 but has played some very memorable innings there. 2. Sourav Ganguly Captain Saurav Ganguly of India with the Natwest series Trophy. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images) The former Indian captain is probably one of the most successful Indian openers in England. ‘Dada’, as he is fondly called has applied himself beautifully in the swinging English conditions where it is tough to face the new ball. The iconic scene of Ganguly removing his shirt and swirling it around in the Lords balcony after winning the Natwest series will remain etched in the hearts of every Indian fan for a very long time. Undoubtedly, he was one of India’s most successful Test captains. The ‘God of the off-side’ played 16 ODIs in England. He scored 565 runs at an average of 35 and strike rate of about 75. However, he failed to get a century in the nation and his highest score was 90. Ganguly ended his career as the third highest scorer in England and will open in this XI. 3. Rahul Dravid Rahul Dravid of India in action during the ICC Cricket World Cup 2003. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images) A man who did everything he was asked to do and the best gentleman of Indian cricket was Rahul Dravid. Dravid has always put the team’s cause much ahead of his personal achievements and was an important pillar of the team for a very long time. He is adored by millions and is often known for his simplicity. Dravid was the leader of the side when India won the Natwest series in 2007 in England. Dravid is also the highest-scorer for India in ODIs in England. ‘The Wall’ represented India in 20 games in England, the most by any Indian player. He scored 648 runs in these games at an average of 38 and with a strike rate that was close to 80. He is yet another player who failed to get an ODI century in England and his highest score there was 92*. 4. Mohammad Azharuddin Mohammad Azharuddin. (© Getty Images) Very few cricketers would have experienced as many highs and lows as Azharuddin did in his career. From scoring three consecutive Test centuries in his first three Tests to leading the side in both Tests and ODI to being involved in match-fixing allegations, Azhar has seen it all. Azhar was a great talent with the bat and took very little time to grab everyone’s attention. He was one of the most decorated captains in Indian cricket before he was involved in the match-fixing allegations. Azhar was a very wristy player and was often compared to the likes of G Vishwanath and Zaheer Abbas. The classic Hyderabadi batsman tasted some great success playing in England. In 8 games, Azhar scored 362 runs and was only dismissed thrice by the English bowlers. His average of 120 is the highest among the Indian players who played at least five games. 5. Yuvraj Singh Yuvraj Singh of India. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images) Yuvraj Singh is one of the classy left-handers India has ever produced. Watching him in full flow is an absolute feast to the eye as there are a very few batsmen who have a better hand-eye coordination than this man. He is one of India’s biggest match-winner and has played a crucial role in helping the side win the World Cup, 2011. The effortless flicks, pulls, drives and slaps from this man are all classic and is a great asset with the ball as well. He has had a fair share of success in England and is the fourth leading run-scorer over there. Yuvi has scored 498 runs in 14 games at a strike rate over 90 and an average of 41.50. His highest score is 72 and has four half-centuries to his name. Yuvi also picked 6 wickets playing in England with an economy just over 6. 6. MS Dhoni (C) (WK) MS Dhoni plays a shot. (Photo Source: Twitter) MS Dhoni, without a second thought, is one of India’s most successful captains and has a tremendous record in ODIs. He is equally potent both with the bat and the gloves. He is closing in on 10,000 ODI runs as well. Mahi, as usual, will take the role of the finisher in this XI, a role in which he cherished in the toughest of times. By the end of the 2018 tour to England, MS Dhoni is also expected to be the Indian player who has played the most ODIs in England. He is the fifth leading run-scorer in England and will hope to climb the ladder up soon. MS has scored 492 runs in 17 games in England at an average of 38. His highest score over there is 78* and he has 5 half-centuries to his name in England. 7. Kapil Dev Indian cricket captain Kapil Dev during his record innings of 175 not out. (Photo by Trevor Jones/Getty Images) The ‘Haryana Hurricane’ is definitely the best fast bowling all-rounder India has ever produced. In fact, in 2002, Kapil was named the Indian cricketer of the century by Wisden. Also, India won it’s first ever World Cup under Kapil Dev in England. Kapil was also a great fielder and will be a great addition to this XI. He has tasted a fair amount of success in England. Kapil scored 164 runs in 7 50-over ODI games that he played in England. Also, he has a high score of 175* in a 60-over ODI that was played at Tunbridge Wells in the 1983 World Cup. With the ball, he picked 8 wickets in 7 games at an average of 32. 8. Ravindra Jadeja Indian cricketer Ravindra Jadeja. (Photo by ISHARA S. KODIKARA/AFP/Getty Images) No cricketers career would have transcended up the way as it did in Ravindra Jadeja‘s case. He went from strength to strength to evolve as one of India’s crucial men. He is a lightening fielder and will leave people in awe with his efforts on the field. However, he is facing a tough time currently with the wrist spinners replacing him in the limited overs formats. Jadeja has done equally well both with the bat as well as the ball in England. He is one of the better performers with the bat for India with the bat scoring 219 runs in 8 games at an average of 73 and strike rate of about 108. This also includes two half-centuries. Further, he is the second leading wicket-taker with the ball for India. He picked 13 wickets at an average of 27 and economy under 6. 9. Ravichandran Ashwin Ravichandran Ashwin of India. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images) Ravichandran Ashwin is another finger spinner from the Indian team who is facing a tough time currently. His place in the limited overs set-up has been taken over by the wrist spinner. However, the offie has done enough in England to be able to feature on this list. The final over that he bowled in the Champions Trophy 2013 was indeed a special one. Ashwin has placed 10 games in England thus far. His heroics with the bat are not noteworthy enough. He scored 64 runs in 7 innings at an average of 16. But, he is the leading wicket-taker for India with the ball in England. Ashwin picked 15 wickets on tracks that do not offer much spin at an average of 23 and economy under 5. 10. Zaheer Khan (© INDRANIL MUKHERJEE/AFP/Getty Images) Zaheer Khan is probably the best left-arm fast bowler that India has ever produced. He is very crafty and has got quite a few tricks up his sleeves. Zaheer often relished playing in the English conditions where there was a lot of swing on offer for him. Zaheer swings the ball both the ways and also is an excellent exponent of reverse swing. As expected, Zaheer finds himself a place in the Best ODI XI to have ever toured England. He is the leading wicket-taker for India among the pacers. In the 10 games that he played, Zak picked up 12 wickets at an economy under 6 and a strike rate of 44. 11. Mohammed Shami Mohammed Shami. (Photo by Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images) Not many would have expected Mohammed Shami to have featured on this list. Shami has toured England with the Indian team only once thus far. However, the performances from that tour were enough to find him a spot in this XI. Shami played a major role in helping Team India win the ODI series against England back in 2014. Shami was the leading wicket-taker in that series and was mighty impressive. Although he is not quite as good as he was back then, Shami is working hard to make his way back into the team. Shami picked 8 wickets in just the 4 games that he played which is far more impressive than many other pacers. His economy rate was under 5 and this, when combined with his average of 19, is a deadly combo.

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ENG vs IND, 2018: Best India ODI XI from all England tours

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